Chanel might have the tweed suit, and Saint Laurent Le Smoking, but the red dress belongs to Valentino. Valentino’s Red dress was first designed by Valentino Garavani in 1959, the idea became a mainstay in his collections for the rest of his career, noteworthy not only for the dramatic silhouettes he offered, but also for the specific tangy shade of crimson he favored. Starlets loved them—see Anne Hathaway on the 2011 Oscar red carpet—and they were a favorite in the pages of Vogue, worn by the likes of Andie MacDowell and Natalia Vodianova. Needless to say, when Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli took the reigns at the house in 2008, the pressure to create crimson confections to rival Mr. Garavani’s was intense.

Not only did they deliver on that front, but they’ve also propelled the house’s signature into new territories. Today, frocks come in shades ranging from garnet to rose and fabrics as diverse as velvet and translucent chiffon. What versions will arrive on their Valentino runway in Paris? We can’t say for sure, but these 12 highlights from their tenure might provide some hints.